Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 1 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1
An act relating to educator preparation and 2
certification; amending s. 1004.85, F.S.; authorizing 3
an educator preparation institute to allow certain 4
program participants to enroll in introductory 5
coursework; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; revising the 6
criteria for the award of a temporary educator 7
certification to include certain persons with expired 8
professional certificates; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; 9
requiring that subject area coverages and endorsements 10
for a certificateholder be reinstated with the 11
certificateholder's professional certificate; revising 12
requirements for reinstatement of a professional 13
certificate; providing that certain requirements for 14
reinstatement of a professional certificate may not be 15
satisfied using specific inservice points; amending s. 16
1012.981, F.S.; requiring the Florida Center for 17
Teaching Excellence to collaborate with the David C. 18
Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching for 19
specified purposes; requiring, rather than 20
authorizing, the center to submit a specified 21
professional learning system for approval by the 22
department; requiring the center to allow certain 23
certified educators to use such professional learning 24
system for specified purposes at no cost to the 25
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 2 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
educator; requiring the center to submit inservice 26
points for such educators to the department; requiring 27
the center to provide information on certain school 28
district professional learning systems to certain 29
certified educators; providing an effective date. 30
31
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 32
33
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 34
1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 35
1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.— 36
(3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to 37
this section may offer competency-based certification programs 38
specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate 39
degree holders to enable program participants to meet the 40
educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator 41
preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based 42
certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section 43
must implement a program developed by the institute and approved 44
by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be 45
available for use by other approved educator preparation 46
institutes. 47
(b) Each program participant must: 48
1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s. 49
1012.56(1) by obtaining an eligible a statement of status of 50
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 3 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
eligibility in the certification subject area of the educational 51
plan and meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before 52
participating in field experiences. An educator preparation 53
institute may allow a program participant to enroll in and 54
complete coursework while the participant is working to obtain 55
an eligible statement of status of eligibility in the 56
certification subject area of the educational plan. 57
2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field 58
experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan 59
prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering 60
an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year, 61
a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified 62
pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all 63
competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of 64
the endorsement practicum through the candidate's field 65
experience, in order to graduate from the program. 66
3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his 67
or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is 68
seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on 69
student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12 70
setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving 71
a passing score on the professional education competency 72
examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area 73
examination for the subject area certification which is required 74
by state board rule. 75
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 4 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section 76
1012.56, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 77
1012.56 Educator certification requirements.— 78
(7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.— 79
(b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to 80
any applicant who: 81
1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs 82
(2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements 83
specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject 84
area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an 85
accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of 86
Education at the level required for the subject area 87
specialization in state board rule; 88
2. For a subject area specialization for which the state 89
board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree, documents 48 90
months of active-duty military service with an honorable 91
discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements 92
outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f); completes the 93
subject area content requirements specified in state board rule 94
or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to 95
subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits 96
with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 97
scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of 98
higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher 99
learning identified by the Department of Education as having a 100
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 5 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
quality program resulting in a bachelor's degree or higher; or 101
3. Is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation 102
program under s. 1004.04; is actively completing the required 103
program field experience or internship at a public school; 104
completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), 105
and (d)-(f); completes the subject area content requirements 106
specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject 107
area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5); and documents 108
completion of 60 college credits with a minimum cumulative grade 109
point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as provided by one or more 110
accredited institutions of higher learning or a nonaccredited 111
institution of higher learning identified by the Department of 112
Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor's 113
degree or higher; or. 114
4. Completes the requirements in paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and 115
whose previously issued professional certificate has expired. 116
117
At least 1 year before an individual's temporary certificate is 118
set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the 119
individual of the date on which his or her certificate will 120
expire and provide a list of each method by which the 121
qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed. 122
Section 3. Subsection (5) of section 1012.585, Florida 123
Statutes, is amended to read: 124
1012.585 Process for renewal or reinstatement of 125
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 6 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
professional certificates.— 126
(5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to 127
allow the reinstatement of expired professional certificates, 128
including each subject area coverage and endorsement held by the 129
certificateholder at the time of the certificate's expiration. 130
The department may reinstate an expired professional certificate 131
if the certificateholder: 132
(a) Submits an application for reinstatement of the 133
expired certificate. 134
(b) Completes the requirements in s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f). 135
(c)(b) Documents completion of 6 college credits during 136
the 5 years immediately preceding reinstatement of the expired 137
certificate, completion of 120 inservice points, or a 138
combination thereof, in an area specified in paragraph (3)(a) to 139
include the credit required under paragraph (3)(e). 140
(c) During the 5 years immediately preceding reinstatement 141
of the certificate, achieves a passing score on the Florida-142
developed subject area examination or, if a Florida subject area 143
examination has not been developed, a standardized examination 144
specified in state board rule for each subject to be shown on 145
the reinstated certificate. 146
147
The requirements of this subsection may not be satisfied by 148
subject area examinations or college credits or inservice points 149
completed for issuance of the certificate that has expired. 150
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 7 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Section 4. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 1012.981, 151
Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 152
1012.981 The Florida Center for Teaching Excellence.— 153
(2) The center shall, in collaboration with the David C. 154
Anchin Center for the Advancement of Innovative Teaching within 155
and Learning at the University of South Florida, do all of the 156
following: 157
(a) Develop and deliver evidence-based professional 158
learning opportunities aligned to the Florida Educator 159
Accomplished Practices. 160
(b) Develop and deliver educator training programs 161
pursuant to s. 1012.98 that integrate high-quality instructional 162
materials included on the state-adopted instructional materials 163
list under s. 1006.28, materials evaluated and identified 164
pursuant to s. 1001.215(4), and materials developed by or under 165
the direction of the department as provided in s. 1006.39. These 166
programs must focus on the effective use of knowledge-based 167
curricula, highlighting when and how to incorporate intervention 168
materials, and emphasize the importance of background knowledge 169
in building advanced reading comprehension grounded in the 170
science of reading and critical thinking skills. 171
(c) Develop and design models of high-quality clinical 172
experiences for aspiring teachers. These model experiences shall 173
serve as a standard that institutions approved pursuant to ss. 174
1004.04 and 1004.85 can adopt or adapt, enabling participants to 175
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 8 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
demonstrate mastery of instructional techniques, classroom 176
management strategies, and the application of high-impact 177
teaching strategies in authentic educational settings. 178
(d) Collaborate with school districts and other 179
educational stakeholders to identify emerging needs in teacher 180
preparation and align center programs accordingly, conducting 181
gap analyses to provide comprehensive coverage of the science of 182
learning, high-impact teaching strategies, and knowledge-rich 183
curriculum implementation. 184
(e) Establish a statewide network of teachers and 185
instructional leaders equipped with the knowledge and skills to 186
mentor and support aspiring and current educators participating 187
in the center's programs. This network shall model effective 188
pedagogical practices and facilitate professional growth. 189
(f) Conduct research and disseminate findings on high-190
impact teaching practices and the implementation of knowledge-191
based curricula to inform policy, improve classroom instruction, 192
and address the importance of background knowledge in student 193
achievement. 194
(g) Report to the department the completion of 195
professional learning by individuals who are not employed by 196
entities with an approved professional learning system. 197
(3) The center: 198
(a) Must may submit a professional learning system for 199
approval pursuant to s. 1012.98. 200
ENROLLED
CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb561 -01-er
Page 9 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(b) Shall allow a certified educator seeking to renew or 201
reinstate his or her certificate to use the system at no cost 202
and submit any inservice points earned by the educator through 203
the system to the department on the educator's behalf. 204
(c) Shall provide a certified educator seeking to renew or 205
reinstate a certificate with information on school district 206
professional learning systems that provide access to inservice 207
training to persons not employed by the school district. 208
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 209